Locomotive Love
by crasyducky
Summary: Kaoru, a depressed young hobo, trying to travel to a more accepting town were she could find her good friend, hitches a ride on a mysterious black locomotive. Kenshin, the mystifying conductor of this Kyoto bound metal box on wheels, finds her and offers
1. Chapter 1

Chapter: 1

Summary: Kaoru, a depressed young hobo, trying to travel to a more accepting town were she could find her good friend, hitches a ride on a mysterious black locomotive. Kenshin, the mystifying conductor of this Kyoto bound metal box on wheels, finds her trying to hold her own against the larger more rough bums already stealing a free ride. Kenshin saves her and offers for her to stay at his house until she can find a job, but what happens when the only ray of kindness in her life is threatened? Will they find a way to stay together or will their lives pull them apart?

"Ok... so if I just jump on right before the train takes off and I hide when the conductors come around I can get a free ride to Kyoto?" She asked the tall man. His large spiky chocolate brown hair defied gravity and his deep soft eyes peered down at her twinkling. He wore ragged and ripped black jeans and a blue plaid shirt hung over his shoulder. The hot Tokyo night seemed to stick to his slightly dirty chest. He nodded, his eyes smiling down at her.

She looked up at him grinning back, the blossom of brotherly love present in her dark blue orbs. "So how much longer do you have?" She asked the stars twinkling above her in the vast velvet blue sky.

"My train leaves in an hour. But I still don't trust it." He said staring at the near by tracks angrily.

"Sano. You know you have to go. Megumi is sick and you're the only one who can help her. I'll come find you as soon as I can. Don't worry about it. Trains are safe and nothing will happen. Promise me you will remind yourself of Megumi every time you think about jumping off since I wont be there to remind you." She scolded him. He looked at her a goofy grin plastered on his face. "Promise!" She said harshly her eye brows furrowing in worry.

"Ok, ok. I **promise**." He said emphasizing the word promise. "I won't leave Megumi sick all by herself in Kyoto. But I want you to get there as quick as possible, I need to take care of you too." He said rubbing his hand through her hair. She pushed his hand away smiling and laughing.

"I just need some time on my own. I am this close to getting a job at the Akabeko and if I get a job I can support myself and buy back my fathers dojo. Then maybe I could come get you and Megumi and we could all live together in a home." She said clasping her hands together and wishing on the stars her dream would come true.

"Well Kiddo, that would be nice but if you don't get that job in a few months I need you to come find us. I know all the guys on the streets and with me gone they wont hesitate to try to 'take you under their wing'." Sano said in a warning tone. "If Megumi gets better and you aren't in Kyoto in three months I will come back to make sure you are alright." He said becoming serious.

"Sano I'll be fine. Don't worry. If I don't get the job I will be there in a month, two tops and if I get it I am sure I'll have the dojo and be there in three." Kaoru said smiling reassuringly.

"Alright. But I want you to get there as fast as you can. I don't want to worry about you." He said rubbing his hand through her hair again. She scrunched up her face and looked at him angrily.

"Don't do that." She said scrambling to fix her hair. He smiled staring at her angry frenzy in a loving way. He loved her as a sister but for a long while he had loved her. Up until he met Megumi he had planned on taking Kaoru as his bride one day. But that was when he was younger, just a child.

The loud shrieking whistle of a train could be heard in the distance and Kaoru stopped fixing her hair to look up at the slowly moving light coming closer to them. She looked up at him her earlier raging eyes turning a melancholy soft.

"Sano, be careful. Don't do anything stupid and remember, I love you." She said hot emotion-filled tears tugged at her eyes threatening to fall. She sniffled smiling up at him her eyes shining sadly. Sano's mouth was hanging open a bit; speechless. Instinctively he wrapped his large muscular arms around her shoulders in a loving hug resting his head on top of hers. Her head rested in the crook of his neck as a few tears slipped past her eyes barrier and soaked on to his bare shoulder.

She wrapped her arms quickly around his body her hands resting on his shoulders. "Kaoru, I'll miss you." He said the whistle blowing louder. He looked up and slowly began to walk towards a group of bushes. She moved with him and soon they were standing behind a small tree. Sano began to release her and she looked up to him. She sat down cross legged still holding his hand. He kneeled down placing his free hand on her cheek tenderly.

The train arrived and Sano looked behind him at it reluctantly. Sano just stared at her for a while soaking in her moon lit features. Her pale skin, her large blue eyes, her small fitted black tank top and her cut of jean shorts. The train whistled for take off and slowly began to chug away. Sano looked back at her quickly and leaned in pressing his salty lips onto hers quickly. He stood up and began to run towards a dark hole in the train. Really it was an open door that his buddies had left open for him but in the middle of the night it just looked like a hole in the train.

Kaoru watched his figure run through the patch of grass between her and the train. He ran fast along side the train trying to catch the hands of his friends reaching out to help him up. He caught one of their hands and got his footing on a bar hanging below the opening. He stood up and turned around watching her as the train began to pick up speed. He smiled and gave a small wave.

She stood up and waved openly, tears beginning to stream from her eyes. In the light he couldn't see her tears, only her wide smile. She wanted to run after him but she remained rooted in her spot her legs refusing to move. She sniffled and began to cough lightly. A bright blinding light shone into her eyes and she threw her arms up to protect her vision. She looked at the source to find it was a swerving flash light.

"Who's over there?" The voice boomed through the night air. She quickly began to run, her legs finally finding the strength to move but in the wrong direction.

That was Kaoru's life two and a half months ago. Back when she had hope and a lively disposition. She had a bright outlook on life and all she wanted was to get a job to support her and her friends in Kyoto. However, she failed to produce a job and she was having trouble keeping the men away from her. If she didn't have the help of Misao and Aoshi, her bum friends she would have surely been dead or worse.

So now she needed to gather what little pride she had and find her way to Sano and megumi in Kyoto. Were a job was waiting for her, along with Sano. She couldn't get the job she needed and all she could for the remaining time was mope around and try to part from her beloved town. She loved Tokyo because that is were she grew up and lived, even if it wasn't a good life.

Kaoru stood in the doorway of Misao's old apartment. It was a dead building that a bunch of hobos and bums lived in. Misao and Aoshi needed a home so they had a place to stay in between their applications and interviews for jobs. Both of them had majored but had never gotten a job and were kicked out of their houses because of their love. Misao had wide sea green eyes and kept her black hair in a long braid. She wore a lot of green and blue clothes. Aoshi had icy blue eyes and long black hair that fell into his eyes and wore a lot of black.

Kaoru was holding a bag in her hands of all of her possessions. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she could only stand there as Misao hugged her tightly. "I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Besides, Sano is in Kyoto." She said smiling through her melancholy features.

"Kaoru, I'm going to miss you. Be careful and as soon as you are all together and healthy, come home!" Misao said sobbing into her shoulder as she reluctantly let her go still holding onto her hands. Kaoru looked stoic as her severe sadness overwhelmed her to the point of tears. But she wouldn't let herself get so worked up right now or she couldn't run strait.

Just like that night two and a half months ago the same sounding whistle pierced through the air. She looked up and gave Misao another quick hug and stared lovingly at Aoshi. Misao was a short girl with a long black braid hanging down her back and sea foam green eyes. Aoshi was a tall man with icy blue eyes and dark black bangs hanging over his face. They were a cute pair but they were hard to leave. Kaoru gave Aoshi's arm a quick squeeze and he flashed her the smallest of smiles.

She quickly ran out from behind the bushel of trees towards a slowly moving train. Kaoru ran as fast as she could the bag she was holding bumping against her legs. She was coming up on a large red cart and just as Sano had said she waited until it had picked up speed and no one was looking and she jumped on quickly, throwing her things on first.

Her breath was heavy and labored and with her already high emotions she couldn't help but release her angry tears as she looked out the door and waved at Misao and Aoshi. She watched their bodies shrink back into small black dots and she leaned against the wall of the train peering around the darkness. She placed her bag next to her and closed her eyes the tears dripping continually from her blue orbs.

She sniffled but tried to stay quiet anyway. Even though no one in the train could hear her in the back, she still felt like people were just on the other side of that rickety wall. She knew on the other wall were probably cows or coal or even another empty cart. She sat there trying to keep control over herself but she couldn't help but allow her face to twist into a frowning, crying mess.

"You'll get over it." A rough male voice came from a darkened corner in the cart. Her tears continued to flow but her face screeched to a halt and bent into fear. "Who-Who's there?" She asked her voice shaky and at the brink of breaking.

"Don't be a little girl. I'm just like you. I won't reveal your presence." He said sarcastically.

A/N: i know it's a bad spot to end and it's to short but i'll have it updated by the 6th of july, i promise. You all can flame me if i don't.


	2. toot toot

"But, why are you here?" She asked her voice still a bit shaky. She heard a rough laugh tumble through the cart.

"I'm going to Kyoto. Isn't that what you're doing?" He asked as if she was stupid. He slowly walked out into the milky mon light shining through the open door of the cart. His long black hair stuck up into the air and his light brown eyes danced with enjoyment. He seemed to love this life, even though he was so young.

"Kamyia Kaoru." She said regaining her poise and standing up holding her hand out for him to shake. He smiled, so far having a good attitude.

"Yahiko Myojin." The boy said grasping her hand and shaking it. Kaoru sat back down and hugged her bag to her chest casting her happy eyes to the side. 'I'm going to see Sano. Megumi will get better, then I can come back home and see Misao and Aoshi as well.' She thought excitedly.

"Hello? Hey! UGLY!" His voice broke into her mind and her angry head snaped up and she glared at him.

"What did you call me?" She asked venomously. He laughed and a large smile spread across his face.

"Your ugly, and you wouldn't listen to me. I said, are you ok? And if there is anything I can do to help tell me, but I don't think I will anymore." He said rudely crossing his arms.

"Yahiko, I should turn you into the conductor!" She shouted until she realized she would get in trouble as well. He just smiled.

"Go ahead. Turn me in!" He said popping his collar insert laugh here. Kaoru just glared at him and turned her head.

"I didn't want your help anyway!" She shouted fuming. Yahiko laughed and sat down.

"Thought so." He said smiling.

"Shut up Yahiko, I hate you. I'm going to bed." She said laying down and closing her eyes but not before she heard him snicker and utter a few more nasty remarks.

"Whatever you say ugly." He whispered before he laid down and surrendered to the darkness as she did.

Red hair. Big, bouncy red hair. Violet eyes. White skin. Cross shaped scar. Short. Wide, kind smile. A person. A person she didn't recognize. The bright light. He must have opened the door. She closed her eyes once more but when she felt her shoulder moving erotically she opened her eyes again.

"Hmmm?" She asked looking up into the same face.

"Miss, Miss do you have your ticket?" His sweet soft voice was asking.

"No." She said then rolled over trying to sleep still. Her closed eyes snapped open when realization hit her over the head with a harsh stick. She rolled back over taking a better look at the man. He was crouched over her, dressed in a black conductor suit with his hat hanging from his belt. His red hair was tied at the nape of his neck and his violet eyes smiled at her.

"Don't throw me off, please. I have a...husband waiting in Kyoto for me. Please, my sister is sick and I need to help them out so we can be reunited with the rest of my family back in Tokyo." She said tears welling in her eyes as she sat up her hands folded begging him not to toss her.

He fell back a bit with her sudden motion then stabilized himself. His eyes became hard. "I don't know." He said looking harshly at her dirty hobo body.

"Please. I'll work on the train, I'll do anything I can. I'll do whatever you need." She said hastily. He smiled coyly but it quickly faded.

"Can you shovel coal?" He asked. A coal shoveler on the train had recently passed away and they were short on hands and time, so they couldn't stop to hire help.

She nodded vigorously. "Yes! I can do anything you need." She said quickly. She even flashed him her muscles for a moment then laughed. He nodded slowly and she smiled widely.

"Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me!" She said holding his arm happily.

"I need you to come with me." He said helping her up. He jumped out of the cart and turned to look at her. She gently jumped from the cart as well. 'He's gorgeous!' Her mind shouted at her as she stared at his standing form.

'And to think, I get to spend time with him.' Kaoru thought staring openly at him for just a moment then looking around her as he lead her to the front of the train were she found her new job.

An action started by American rappers, where you grab your collar and pull it up then release quickly.

A/N: sorry it's so short...I didn't feel like writing. I have Camp on the 10th for a week so at the end of the month I should have it updated again.


	3. Clothing and her new job

She stepped timidly out of the small bathroom located on the train. Her fellow co-workers had let her borrow some of their clothes, and she thought she looked ridiculous. She borrowed a shirt from a boy named Soujiro, he was about her size, and pants from a man named Enishi, who was bigger than her. Soujiro gave her an old red shirt of his that he had grown out of, and Enishi gave her a pair of large brown pants. She was up set to see the colors clashed and the designs on the shirt were anything but feminine, but how could she complain?

Her shirt was tight, even the sleeves clung to her arms. The shirt was long sleeved but the sleeves were to short so she had to keep them rolled up. The shirt was very tight on her, almost enough that she didn't have to wear a bra, but she did anyway. The shirt was very short and had holes in it. Her pants were quite a few sizes to big for her. She tied a rope through the belt loops to keep them on. The pant legs were very long since he was so tall, she had to fold them two times so she wouldn't trip on them.

She looked _so_ stupid.

She looked both ways before she rushed down the hall and towards the coal cart. It was windy and loud there. The furnace hummed noisily and the wind whipped in her ears. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment when she saw the two guys.

Soujiro was all smiles. In just the short time she had known him she had never seen that smile falter. He was kind and sweet and his large eyes were beautiful. She felt comfortable with him, like she could tell him anything she wanted, and when the time came for it, she knew she would. He was a great listener but was shady about his own problems.

Enishi is a tall, strapping man. He was handsome, his silver hair falling into his blue-green eyes. He was quiet but had opinions on just about everything. He was an observer, someone who took in the whole situation then made a witty or intelligent comment about it. He was like a big brother, very protective but loveable.

Seeing that both of them ignored her presence and continued to shovel the black soot into the furnace she grabbed her shovel and shoved it hard into the pile of small round black pieces. She lifted it up, with much difficulty, and tossed it into the furnace. However, her aim was not as good as the boys so a few pieces hit the side of the furnace and bounced back to her feet. Almost as if they were mocking her, telling her 'ya missed!'.

She glared down at them and heard a small snickering, like the laughter of a child. She looked over her shoulder at Soujiro who was standing upright, leaning on his shovel. She turned around, one hand resting on her shovels handle, the other planted firmly on her hip. The laughter abruptly stopped and he continued to smile at her.

He walked towards her and held out his hand. "We were never properly introduced, My name is Soujiro." He said as she took his dirty hand and shook it. She was used to being dirty, so she was fine with gripping his soot filled hand.

"Im Kaoru." She said, his smile was infectious and she couldn't help but smile too. Enishi, the man in the back who seemed to refuse to stand up and converse with them dropped his shovel and stood up. He took a deep breath and his aqua blue eyes locked onto hers. Right at that moment she felt like she could pass out from embarrassment and lack of air. She released a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and that moment in her life seemed to freeze.

He started walking towards her and she felt her knees quiver. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him. He extended his hand and she just looked at it.

_KAORU!_

_You're being stupid again!_

_Snap out of it, you have a "husband" remember?_

_Yea he's suave, and nonchalant, and hot, and he has beautiful eyes and...shake his hand Kaoru._

That last thought brought her back to reality and with a red face she took his hand and shook it. His hand shake was firm and manly, unlike Soujiro's who's was soft and loving. You could tell the kind of person they were just by shaking their hand.

"Enishi." Came a rumbling voice from his chest. It was rough but sexy, and Kaoru could tell she'd be hanging off his every word.

"Let me guess...Kaoru?" He said a smirk gracing his lips. Kaoru smiled and nodded shyly.

They broke contact and their moment was ruined. He turned around and picked up his shovel and Kaoru's eyes landed on his...well...him. Once she realized what she was doing she turned her head her face turning a light pink.

"Don't drool Kaoru." She heard a voice in her ears. Her body twisted around quick to se Soujiro, right in her face. He was kind enough to whisper that in her ear so Enishi wouldn't know, but it scared Kaoru silly.

She put her hand over her beating heart. "You scared me Soujiro!" She said breathing heavily and smiling at him. He just grinned widely and walked past her to shovel coal again. Before Kaoru got herself in any more trouble she dug her shovel into the coal once more and only focused on that. She refused to let herself look up from her work unless one of them was trying to help her. A few times Soujiro demonstrated to her how to hold the shovel and how to toss it all into the furnace. Though Kaoru wasn't as efficient as the other two she was a quick worker and didn't complain once. Before she knew it, noon had rolled around and they got to stop for lunch. Right before lunch they shoveled enough coal to let the train crews at a good speed for about half an hour, just enough time for them to eat. They walked into an empty cart, one with tables and chairs. The two boys sat down at a table next to a window on the right side of the cart.

Kaoru didn't have much food, she was starving but worked for free so she didn't even have money to buy more food. All she had with her was one rice ball. She chose to sit outside the cart, were the wind would blow through her hair. This cart had a small platform and railing on the side of it, so she sat there. She munched on her rice ball there, watching the scenery flash before her.

She loved this feeling, the creaking of the platform scaring her, making her feel like she would fall. Adrenaline pumping through her veins, the wind washing over her body. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew she wasn't supposed to be out there, and that's what made it fun. The only down side, the wind was so strong she couldn't hear if someone was coming up behind her, like Enishi was doing just then.

She felt the wind stop, her hair falling back into place and her eyes opening quickly. She saw a pair of legs. She blinked several times and followed the legs up to the face of Enishi. She smiled. "Hey." She said but the wind carried her voice away form her. He sat down in front of her. "You shouldn't be out here. Kenshin is serious about his workers, if you're injured, Soujiro and I will get in trouble." He said, his voice blowing right onto her face.

Kaorus lips were moving but Enishi couldn't hear her, she could barely hear herself. So she just stopped talking, knowing that there was no use. "I also brought this out for you." He said handing her half of a sandwich. She smiled and shook her head. But he insisted. When she refused to take it he set it gently in her lap and stood up. He brushed himself off and walked back into the cart. Kaoru ignored his words and continued to sit out there for the remainder of the break, so they wouldn't see how red her face was.

She was angry and embarrassed, she was poor and working for free, she didn't need their pity. But it was a kind gesture and she wouldn't yell at him yet. She was never one to turn down free food, but she did want them to think she was a beggar. All she could do was hope this wouldn't be an everyday thing. Once she figured the break was over she stood up, brushed her dirty clothes as clean as she could get them and walked to the coal cart. Neither of the boys were there, but she knew the break would end soon and they would join her.

So she began to shovel, her arms already feeling heavy from her first few hours of work. When the two finally came back in, laughing at a joke Soujiro had apparently told she smiled. "Trying to show us up?" Enishi asked, smiling. She nodded and laughed a bit. The two joined her and hey shoveled the rest of the evening.

Five 'o' clock rolled around and Kaoru, Enishi, and Soujiro were called off of work. She released a sigh and Couldn't help but sit down in a chair in an empty cart they passed through. Soujiro was the first to notice she was lagging behind and he retraced his steps and found her. He poked her arm, "Kaoru?"he asked. She groaned in response. "I know your first day of work was tough Kaoru, mine was to, but you should get up and at least move to the cart with beds." He said kindly. She looked up at him. "I have a bed?" She questioned.

"Well, I assume you would. If you're replacing Skipper's job you should be replacing his bed." Soujiro said. Kaoru stood and followed Soujiro reluctantly to a small cart with three sets of bunk beds. Soujiro explained that Skipper slept on the bottom of a bunk bed all to himself. Skipper was old and fat so he couldn't sleep n the top, and he had worked there the longest so that's why he didn't have to share a bunk.

Kaoru nodded. "But I'm the newest one here." She said confused. "Yea, so Shishio took Skipper's bed, Saitou took shishio's bed, I took Saitou's bed, and Enishi stayed were he was. So you get the top bun with Enishi." Soujiro said to her pointing to all of the different beds.

"Uh...Who's Saitou and Shishio?" Kaoru asked. Soujiro's face dropped a bit and his smile wavered ever so slightly.

"They're the night shift...try not to bother them, stay out of their way. Besides Skipper Shishio has been working here the longest, then Saitou. They are mean and not always very kind to women. Just hope Kenshin never makes you work the night shift, if they aren't giving you the cold shoulder they are being rude and mean hearted." Soujiro said looking her in the eyes with all seriousness. When Soujiro warned her about something it had to be important so she listened very carefully to him, fear beginning to bubble up in her stomach.

Kaoru just nodded and noticed happily that neither men were in their beds and Kaoru slept above Enishi and across from Soujiro. Slowly she could feel the train move slower and slower, and soon it stopped completely.

"Soujiro...why is the train stopping?" She asked fear present in her eyes, out of natural instinct.

"Hmm...?" He asked looking at her. "Oh, We must be picking up another load. Not only do we need more coal, but I believe at this stop we are picking up wood as well." He said his hand on his chin as he thought about it.

"Why do we need wood. I thought it was a strait ride to Kyoto." Kaoru said her voice a higher pitch due to worry.

"No, this is a freight train, we stop in just about every city before we get to Kyoto, we still have at least two weeks until we get to Kyoto." He said. Suddenly Kaoru could feel the world around her shatter. She didn't know it would take that long. At least two weeks, Sano might think she found a job by then, if Megumi isn't getting better, she could be dead by then. A tear formed in Kaoru's eye and her nose became red and stuffy. Her glazed eyes just stared into the distance as if she was reliving a memory.

She could hear her name being called in the distance but she couldn't pull herself out of this terriable reality that was crashing down on her shoulders. She felt a hand on her shoulder and her eyes began to focus and she took a deep shaky breath.

"Kaoru?" She heard loudly in her ear. She shook her head slightly and turned to look at a worried but smiling Soujiro.

"Yea?" She asked, her voice soft.

"You ok?" He asked. He led her to her bed, and helped her climb up into it.

"You should rest, you've had a long day, and you probably hurt already." He said pulling out a bottle filled with small white pills. He took one out and handed it to her. "Take this and go to sleep, work starts at nine. Right now I have to go see if I can help load coal and wood into the carts, but Kenshin never said you would have to do that so don't worry about it. Rest up." He said walking out of the room. She just nodded and before she even heard him shut the door her eyes were closed and she had drifted into a blissful darkness.

Here eyes snapped open, The sound of rain beating lightly against metal charged her waking ear drums and she flinched a bit from shock. She looked around her, she was in a bed, wrapped in a thick blanket, with the dull noise of snoring floating under the soft beating of rain. 'What am I doing here?' Her mind asked her as she sat up and fully scanned the dark cart.

'Oh yeah.' She thought as she remembered what had happened. She felt refreshed and a yawn escaped her lips. She hadn't slept in a bed in a very long time. She smiled, the feeling of the warm cotton on her skin was delightful. This kind of feeling was the reason she hated being a hobo, this was the reason she was looking for work, and this was the reason she needed to get to Kyoto.

She stretched her soar limbs, and took another deep breath.


End file.
